Boating Safety and Safe Boating Blog

It’s that time of year again. Some folks have had their shopping done for months.
But for more than a few of us, there’s still a lot to be done. Where to start? If
your loved ones are crazy about being out on the water, here are a few gifts that
show how much you care—and show your good taste. Yes, these safety-themed items
also have a bit of style.

This week marks National Drowning Prevention Week in Canada. Promoted by the Lifesaving Society this week provides an opportunity to become better aware of the risk factors for drowning and work to avoid these risks. Summer is the time of year when most water fatalities occur—so there’s no better time to think about when, where and how accidents occur.

Seafaring is one of the world's oldest occupations, so it is only natural that in times where inexplicable events have happened, superstitions have played a major role in providing reasons for their occurrence.

The uncontrollable nature of the sea has given way to many a nautical lore, each one as curious as the next. So plunge in if you dare, and discover 13 common sailor superstitions.

If R2-D2 spent more time in Malibu, a certain lifeguard might catch his eye—one wearing a durable red canvas bathing suit.

EMILY, or the Emergency Integrated Lifesaving LanYard, is a 4.5-foot long robotic buoy with a foam core, red canvas cover, and an operating speed of up to 24 mph/40 kph—or about 15 times the speed of a human lifeguard. EMILY was recently named one of the 50 Best Inventions of 2010 by Time Magazine

Deep-sea exploration is a relatively modern science which only really began piquing curiosity and interest in the late 1860s, when modern scientific theories about the origin of life and evolution were emerging.

So you're lost in the wilderness. Thoughts of a parched, solitary death are entering
your mind. Well, with the Spot Connect, you can share these final thoughts on the
Internet! (And also save yourself)

The Spot Connect is a satellite communicator module that allows you to send Twitter,
Facebook, email and SMS messages from locations without cell service. (No calls,
sorry.) Rather than pairing with a single piece of proprietary hardware, the Spot
Connect pairs with smartphones to provide a software interface for the little black
communications unit. Simply download the SPOT Connect App onto your smartphone (Android
or Apple iOS devices — including iPhone, iPad and iPod touch) and SPOT will wirelessly
synch via Bluetooth. The SPOT satellite message features are initiated directly
from the app's user interface.

To many of us city dwellers, the idea of fending for ourselves sans Google, cell
phones and hot water is hardly even fathomable. The need to stretch our imaginations
and physique to learn how to tie knots, make rope, start fires with two sticks or
fend off bears is almost unimaginable. Most of us would probably be found blowing
our nose with poison ivy while devouring the deadliest of mushrooms if we were ever
trapped in an unknown environment.

Which is why stories of real life castaways never cease to amaze us. These are just
some of the many incredible stories of survival and people who defeated all odds,
overcame the deadliest obstacles, alone stranded on an uninhabited land.

Last October, the Allure of the Seas (which costs a staggering $1.5 billion to build)
passed under a bridge with only 20 inches to spare. It required a steady hand...
and nerves of steel. Fortunately for the captain, the superliner squeezed under
the Danish bridge with ease.

The Longreach buoyancy bazooka designed by Samuel Adeloju shoots an emergency buoyancy
aid 500 feet out to sea, saving people from drowning. Once the aid hits water it
rapidly expands to help keep the victim afloat. Last year, the Longreach system
won the James Dyson Award, a competition aimed at encouraging design engineers to
be creative, inventive, and to challenge the norm.

Though the first submersible ships were developed to discover what lied beneath
the surface, it was not long before inventors began to recognize their military
potential. As the first part of our history of submarines series, plunge in and
discover the fascinating story of how submarines have evolved through time.

72 percent of the Earth is covered in water and in our six ocean realms, (the human
edges, hidden boundaries, light and dark zones of the central waters, active geology,
ice and microscopic) all kinds of species, from the known, unknown to the unknowable
have garnered the interest of fisherman and marine experts alike.

According to the
Census of Marine Life, several hundred thousand species exist in the bottom
water and many may remain unknowable.

Many species may never be caught and named, but here's a look at some of the most
incredible and rare catches that human eyes have had the chance to see.

Generally, the advancement of science leads to the dispelling of myth. It turns
out the Sun is not actually Apollo riding his chariot across the sky after all.
But it was only really in the 19th century that palaeontology took off and brought
the domain of the dinosaurs to public consciousness, many centuries after monster
sightings across the world and its history.

Knowledge that giants once existed fuels speculation that they may yet still. While
the lion’s share of Earth’s land has been seen and studied, the majority of the
ocean remains unexplored. We have rather literally only scratched the surface. There
is of course danger in the flagrant filling of the blanks of natural history, but
with so much unknown, inexistence is no more certain.

With not only better access tools but the advent of video recording equipment, humans
are now better equipped than ever to confirm or dispel our most enduring monster
myths. Technology and the knowledge it brings certainly have a sobering effect,
as most of our monster sightings have been reduced to misinterpretation and misdirection.
But sometimes science brings confirmation, and when misinterpretation turns out
to just be exaggeration, we can forgive and still be left with something that captures
our imaginations.

In the last century, numerous ships, small boats and aircrafts have purportedly
vanished within the infamous Bermuda Triangle, or as some call it "The Devil's Triangle".
The boundaries of the triangle cover the Straits of Florida, the Bahamas and the
entire Caribbean island area, the Atlantic east to the Azores. Dating back to the
voyages of Christopher Columbus, he had logged about bizarre compass bearings in
the area.

The region got its name when Vincent Gaddis coined the term 'Bermuda Triangle' in
a cover story for Argosy magazine about the disappearance of Flight 19. While
the area is one of the most heavily traveled shipping lanes in the world many theorists
have tried to explain unusual disappearances which have occurred in its borders.

Whether it's about the speed, the stamina, the boat design or all of the above,
boat racing in all its forms is a fascinating competition with many unique aspects
and dimensions. It is as much a battle of man against man, man against water, as
it is a collaboration among men and the water they ride.

For as long as man has traveled the great big blue, stories of disappearing ships
have inspired many a nautical lore. From Krakens to the Bermuda Triangle, with no
living being or ship remains around to tell the real story, new theories for these
odd disappearances emerge every generation. Yet despite an abundance of theories
these ships' ends remain shrouded in mystery.

Some of you may have already heard that Transport
Canada has made some fundamental changes to the boating exam process needed to acquire
a boating license in Canada. These changes have been implemented in order to improve
safety for all boaters, and make the boating experience more enjoyable for everyone.

The following article will outline the steps you should take if ever you find yourself
aboard a sinking ship. Fortunately, the odds of surviving a sinking ship are very
high. The most important thing to do is stay calm.

Cruising has become a major part of the tourism industry. According to Cruise Market
Watch, the worldwide cruise market is expected to reach $29.4 billion this year,
a 9.5% increase from 2010. That means an estimated 19.2 million cruise passengers
are expected to sail the seas in a lap of boating luxury. With cruises gaining such
popularity we decided to
take a sneak peek into 5 of the world's most extravagant cruise ships.

Response from Chuck Strah, Minister of Transport

This past November we sent an open letter to the Hon. Chuck Strahl, Minister of
Transport to congratulate him and Transport Canada for moving ahead with tighter
regulations and training measures to ensure greater boating safety in Canadian waters.

An Open Letter to the Hon. Chuck Strahl,
Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, Government of Canada

Dear Minister;

We wish to take this opportunity to congratulate you and Transport Canada as you
move ahead with tighter regulations and strengthened training measures to ensure
greater boating safety in Canadian waters.

Every year, the U.S. Coast Guard compiles statistics on reported recreational boating
accidents. These statistics are derived from accident reports that are filed by
the owners / operators of recreational vessels involved in accidents.

The amount of data collected is massive and sometimes overwhelming. To help visualize
some of these statistics we have put together a graphic showing some of the data
in an eye-pleasing manner.

Here is a collection of amazing videos of boating crashes, accidents, and mishaps.
This is a good educational list of things NOT to do while boating. Ships crashing
into bridges, docks, piers, beaches, and into other boats Enjoy the videos and we
hope that you learn from their mistakes!

The term "Super Tanker" is usually used for large ships over 300,000 metric tons
and the Knock Nevis is the largest boat in this category. Weighing in at 565,000
metric tons and measuring 458 meters (1,504 feet) this boat is massive. But just
how massive? We decided to put this boat up against some of the largest landmarks,
animals, trees and other forms of transportation just to give the Knock Nevis some
real scale...

Because the majority of us do not participate in cold water activities, we are unaware
of how our bodies react in early and late season conditions. On average, 200 people
die each year from cold water immersion. If you're heading out on the water this
winter, or even doing some work around the shoreline, there are a few things that
you should know about Cold Water Immersion and Hypothermia. Always wear a PFD (Personal
Floatation Device) or life jacket when boating in early or late season weather.
There is also a wide selection of Hypothermia clothing available.

About BOATERexam.com®

BOATERexam.com® is a leading provider of safe boater education and certification across the United States and Canada. Our online boating safety course allows boaters to meet mandatory education requirements and to obtain their official boater education card or boating license online.